Officials highlight progress in Vietnam-EU defence ties

Sen. Lieut. Gen. Phan Van Giang, Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army and Deputy Defence Minister (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Developments in
Vietnam-EU relations, especially in security-defence, were highlighted during a
meeting between a senior official of the Ministry of National Defence and a
delegation of the EU’s Crisis Management and Planning Directorate (CMPD) in
Hanoi on December 10.

Talking to Sen. Lt. Gen. Phan Van Giang (member
of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee, Chief of the General Staff
of the Vietnam People’s Army, and Deputy Minister of Defence), CMPD Director
Gabor Iklody said bilateral ties have recorded strides in the recent past,
including in security-defence.

The EU and Vietnam can further strengthen
cooperation in both bilateral and multilateral aspects, as well as in the
relationship between the EU and ASEAN, especially as Vietnam will hold the
ASEAN Chair in 2020.

He said the EU is ready to promote collaboration
in UN peacekeeping activities, adding that cooperation potential in this field
is considerable, particularly in terms of personnel training and technical
assistance.

For his part, Sen. Lt. Gen. Giang asked the EU
to help the Vietnamese army with UN peacekeeping activities so that the country
can meet requirements while performing tasks at UN missions.

He urged relevant sides to keep close
coordination to accelerate discussion on future defence ties in the coming
time.

He also called on the EU to endorse Vietnam’s
candidacy for a non-permanent membership in the UN Security Council for 2020-2021,
and to support the two sides’ win-win cooperation to continue its development.–VNA